Information Notice No. 79-10 Nonconforming Pipe Support Struts

IN79010 

                              April 11, 1979 

MEMORANDUM FOR:     B. H.  Grier, Director, Region I 
                    J. P. O'Reilly, Director, Region II 
                    J. G. Keppler, Director, Region III 
                    K. V. Seyfrit, Director, Region IV 
                    R. H. Engelken, Director, Region V 

FROM:               Harold D. Thornburg, Director, RCI:IE 

SUBJECT:            Information Notice No. 79-10 NONCONFORMING PIPE 
                    SUPPORT STRUTS 

The subject Information Notice is transmitted for issuance on April 16, 
1979. The Information Notice should be issued to all power reactor 
facilities with a construction permit.  Also enclosed is a draft copy of the 
transmittal letter for this purpose. 


                                        Harold D. Thornburg, Director 
                                        Division of Reactor Construction 
                                          Inspection 
                                        Office of Inspection and Enforcement

Enclosure: 
1.   IE Information Notice
       No. 79-10
2.   Draft Transmittal Letter 

CONTACT:  W. Laudan, IE 
          49-27551 
.

(Draft letter to all power reactor facilities with a construction permit) 

                                           Information Notice No. 79-10 

Addressee: 

This Information Notice is provided as an early notification of a possibly 
significant matter. It is expected that recipients will review the 
information for possible applicability to their facilities. No specific 
action or response is requested at this time. If further NRC evaluations so 
indicate, an IE Circular or Bulletin will be issued to recommend or request 
specific licensee actions. If you have questions regarding the matter, 
please contact the Director of the appropriate NRC Regional Office. 


                                        Signature 
                                        (Regional Director) 

Enclosure: 
Information Notice No. 
  No. 79-10
.

                             UNITED STATES 
                      NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 
                   OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT 
                          WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555 
                                     
                             April 16, 1979  

                                           Information Notice No. 79-10 

NONCONFORMING PIPE SUPPORT STRUTS 

Description of Circumstances: 

Bergen-Paterson Pipesupport Corporation informed the NRC that a limited 
quantity of its Part 2000 Rigid Rod Strut do not meet the published design 
criteria. Subsequent plant inspection by the NRC indicated that no 
nonconforming Part 2000 Rigid Rod Struts are installed in operating units. 
However, the following construction sites were identified as receiving 
nonconforming struts: 

     Summer No. 1 Unit 
     Shoreham 
     Grand Gulf No. 1 and 2 Units 
     Wolf Creek No. 1 Unit 
     Callaway No. 1 Unit 
     Waterford No. 3 Unit 
     St. Lucie No. 2 Unit 
     Washington Nuclear No. 2 Unit 
     Zimmer No. 1 Unit 

The actual load rating of Part 2000 Rigid Rod Struts varies with the 
material used for rods in the assembly. At various times this rod was made 
from SA-36, SA-306, grade 60 and A-108 grade 1018 materials. Re-analysis 
indicates that the use of A-108 grade 1018 produces a product meeting all 
published criteria for all sizes; however, the use of either SA-36 or 
SA-306, grade 60 materials produces an acceptable material only for sizes 
1.5 and 3 but not for sizes 10 and 20. 

All construction permit holders should consider conducting a review to 
determine if Bergen-Paterson Pipesupport Corporation Part 2000 Rigid Rod 
Struts of the sizes 10 and 20 are being used at their construction sites. If
so, determine if those in stock and installed meet the required design 
criteria. 

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Information Notice No. 79-10                            April 16, 1979 

This information is provided as a notification of a possibly significant 
matter. It is expected that recipients will review the information for 
possible applicability to their facilities. No specific action or response 
is requested at this time. If further NRC evaluations so indicate, an IE 
Circular or Bulletin will be issued to recommend or request specific 
licensee actions. If you have questions regarding this matter, please 
contact the Director of the appropriate NRC Regional Office. 

Enclosure: 
List of IE Information 
  Notices Issued in 1979 

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